


Little-Known Legends

by Cheloya



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-10-27 06:53:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10804032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheloya/pseuds/Cheloya
Summary: Old, imported. Link keeps Sheik's appointments. Set in a little offshoot universe where Link actually has to live those missing seven years.





	Little-Known Legends

Sheik would rise before the sun every morning without fail, turn to the eastern wall of their safehouse prison, and he would bow his head until it touched the ground. Link was always awake to see it, but he never moved, never showed that he saw it. It seemed too important, somehow: Sheik's proud brow pressed to the earth, his face hidden completely from Link's view, and his hands pressed alongside his face, fingers splayed out across the dust.

It seemed too important to interrupt, or even call attention to with idle questions, so Link contained his curiosity and stilled his tongue, and watched, instead, every morning, as Sheik sat upright again and traced his fingers down the center of his chest, following the ink tear that spilled from the Eye of Truth dyed into the fabric. He waited as long as he could, after that, with his eyes closed - because after all, there was nothing to do here - but he never, ever mentioned it.

When Sheik was injured and could not rise from his pallet on the floor, Link still woke with him before dawn and, seeing that the scarlet-eyed warrior would not rise that day to perform his ritual, faced east and bowed to the floor himself. After so many silent observations of the same scene, the ritual was practically second nature. Link had always been a quick study. The timing was as right as he could make it, the movements not quite as graceful as the Sheikah's sleek limbs made them seem - but Link did not dwell in shadow as Sheik did, and would never move that way.

When the short ritual was done and Link turned back to face him, Sheik had lifted his head as far from the floor as he could, scarlet eyes flooded with shock, and for a moment, Link feared that he had done something terribly wrong.

"I'm sorry," he said immediately. "It did not seem the sort of thing that should be skipped. If it was improper, to do this in your place, then I apologise."

Sheik watched him for a moment more, and then lowered his head back to the floor, slowly. By the way the fabric rested against his skin, he was softly smiling.

"Not improper," he murmured, voice still hoarse with dehydration - Link moved for the waterskin. "Merely unexpected." He drank, and gasped, and rested. "...shall I tell you what it means?"


End file.
